Boro also rank highly in the list of Academy graduates playing at other Premier League and Championship clubs.

As well as the four Academy graduates to be playing a key role for Garry Monk this season, there are another 10 former Boro youngsters who are plying a trade at other clubs in the top two divisions as well as one loanee. Between them, they've played 10,266 minutes.

Those players are James Morrison, Chris Brunt, Lee Cattermole, Jason Steele, Adam Reach, Joe Bennett, Adam Jackson, Jonathan Grounds, Connor Ripley (still a Boro player but out on loan at Burton), David Wheater and Andrew Taylor.

In the combined list of Academy graduates still at Boro and those who've moved on to other Premier League or Championship clubs, Boro place seventh for minutes played behind Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, Arsenal and Aston Villa.